Soaker hoses are the best option for watering seedlings and baby plants, in general, but you can also use a soaker hose for daily watering your vegetable garden. If you decided to get a soaker hose but you don’t know which one to choose, in this post you will find our selection of 5 Best Soaker Hoses for your garden beds!
Soaker hoses are a quick and easy watering solution, knowing that your greens and vegetables will receive the correct amount of water that they need, in a constant, slow, and steady manner, and with minimum intervention on your side. We know there are many options on the market and choosing a soaker hose can become a pain when you don’t have a specific brand in mind.
Therefore, we have selected our favorite models and detailed the main features of each, below! Continue reading to find out more!
Key Benefits of Using a Soaker Hose in Your Garden
- Soaker hoses are the ideal targeted watering tool for any young plants, seedlings & vegetable gardens
- Soaker hoses help prevent water wastage
- A soaker hose efficiently uses water, slowing down evaporation and keeping the soil moist.
- The risks of over-watering are close to none when using a soaker hose.
- Using a soaker hose for watering your plants keeps the plant foliage dry and free from fungal growth
- Weeper hoses usually include a flow control valve which allows you to regulate the amount of water delivered to your plants
- Soaker hoses are versatile and can be attached to other standard hoses, soaker hoses, leader hoses, water timers, hose splitters, and water pipes.
- You can fully automate the watering sessions for your garden by attaching a water timer between the spigot and your soaker hose.
This Hozelock Soaker hose is made with Recycled Rubber. As garden hoses are not recyclable, you can still do your part in the waste-reducing process by choosing this soaker model.
It has 82 feet in length and a ½ inch in diameter size, and it is a great addition to any gardener’s watering tools collection. It has about 1.1 pounds in weight, and it is very easy to install and set up in your garden beds.
Before installing it, first, uncoil the entire length of the hose and leave it in the sun for 30 minutes or more. This will help the soaker hose loosen its packaging form and become straight, which is easier to work with when placing it in the garden area that needs watering.
The water will slowly drip through this porous hose, assuring an even and gentle watering pattern for your plants.
You will save water when using this soaker hose as the hose is laid on the ground and gently delivers small amounts of water directly to the roots of the plants. Therefore, it is reducing water wastage.
You can also regulate the amount of water that supplies the soaker hose, using the flow controller which is supplied in the package. Keep in mind this soaker hose works best with a water pressure of about 8-10 PSI.
You can choose different ways to install this soaker hose model. It can be attached at the end of a standard garden hose or to the spigot directly, depending on your garden layout. Additionally, it comes with the set of quick connectors necessary to attach it to a second soaker hose, for watering larger garden areas. It is compatible with standard hose fittings normally used in designing an irrigation line, such as T’s and Elbows.
This soaker hose is also compatible with water timers to automate the watering task even more.
Hozelock soaker hose is ideal for watering young plants, hedges, and vegetable gardens.
These 50 feet of 1/2inch soaker hose are made with premium PVC, have 5 plies (layers), a very good elasticity level, and increased durability over time.
The water drops delivered are 2 gallons per 2 minutes at an average 60 PSI water pressure. Do not use more than 60 PSI with this soaker hose as a higher pressure can damage the hose increasing the bursting risks. It is weather resistant and can stand temperatures between -4℉ and 140℉ without problems.
It is equipped with corrosion-resistant end caps and brass water connectors for increased wear resistance and use. The 1/2-inch diameter connectors will fit most standard hose threads and water faucets.
When using this soaker hose, the water is distributed evenly along its entire length ensuring the necessary amount of water for your plants. The water is delivered right where you need it, close to the plant roots, no matter if you choose the place the soaker on the soil level or bury it a few inches into the ground or under a mulch layer.
Before installation, set the hose laid out straight in the sun to help it loosen the packaging’s coiled shape and to maneuver it easier.
Green Mount Soaker hose is perfect for flower beds and seedlings, but it can be used to water a mature vegetable garden as it can deliver an increased volume of water.
This flat soaker hose is made with high-quality materials, PVC with a strengthened core to increase its durability and keep intact its functionality over the years. All water connectors are1/2-inch full brass and include a hose gasket filtering screen to prevent any dirt, sand, or debris from your spigot from going into the soaker hose.
This soaker hose is weather resistant, and it will not suffer any damage while the temperatures are between -4 degrees F and +140 degrees F. It has UV inhibitors added to increase its resistance against exterior weather conditions.
With a 1/2-inch diameter and 25 feet in length, this flat weeper hose is lightweight (1.76 Lb.) yet compact and very easy to set up in the garden. The water is distributed evenly along its entire length. The droplets are steadily released during the entire watering session at 2 gallons per 2 minutes, at a regular 60 PSI. If you need a longer soaker hose, you can either purchase two 25 feet hoses and connect them together using the specific hose fittings or choose the 50 feet soaker hose. H2O Works provides this length option as well.
This soaker hose is perfect for slowly watering the newly planted trees, seedlings, shrubs, and flowers. It will ensure the proper watering pace so that your plants can benefit most from it, and it saves water as opposed to a standard garden hose. The water is efficiently distributed near the plant roots, at a slow pace, and the evaporation process is minimized.
Gilmour is one the most reliable brands in terms of garden watering products and they do provide one of the best soaker hoses for your garden beds. In addition, this flat weeper soaker hose is made with 100% environmentally friendly recycled vinyl with a clog-resistant fabric cover, to avoid any dirt piling up on the soaker and keep a consistent soaking. The cover fabric also protects the hose from UV rays, and it ensures an overall increased lifespan. If you want to protect the environment choosing this soaker hose will help you participate in the process.
The flat weeper hose has a 5/8-inch diameter and 75 feet in length, but a 25 feet option is also available in the Gilmour catalog. It works best with a water source pressure of 60 PSI.
The material of this soaker hose makes it easier to handle and set up. The flat soaker can be buried underground, or it can be placed above the ground. You only need to quickly snake it through the rows of your garden plants, either in the vegetable garden or on your garden beds. It is compatible with hose splitters, and water timers and attaching it to additional soaker hoses.
It is lightweight and can be easily moved around to a different area of your garden when needed. You can leave it in place after the installation, during the growing seasons of your plants but it is best to store it away and winterize it before the freezing temperatures hit.
To support the quality of their products, Gilmour is offering a 7-year limited warranty for this flat weeper soaker hose.
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
We had to include Gardena products in our best soaker hose selection. GARDENA products are made in Germany and stand for quality, reliable performance, and durability. Also, Gardena offers a 5-year limited warranty for mostly all their products, including this soaker hose.
This soaker hose has ½ inch diameter and a length of 25 feet. It is designed to be shortened or extended to a length up to 98 feet. It is ready to connect to the spigot, water timer, or a hose splitter as it has all the necessary Garden water connectors included. It is also designed to work with a low-pressure water source properly.
The soaker hose is very lightweight and can be easily maneuvered and snaked between the plants in your garden. It delivers the necessary amount of water while using low pressure and a constant and slow dripping pace. It saves up to 70% of the water you would use with a standard garden hose.
It is one of the best soaker hoses for watering garden beds, but it is also suited for your vegetable garden and flowers.
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
Tip 1 – Use ground staples to keep your soaker hoses in a fixed position
Using hose wire staples or ground stakes will hold the soaker hose in place while you are laying it out around the garden.
It is very easy to create a wire staple for the hose. How to do it yourself? Buy a strong and malleable metal wire, cut small sections using a wire cutter, bend them in half in a U shape, flip it as an upside-down U and press it around the soaker, into the ground. This will hold the soaker in place and keep it steady.
Alternatively, you can purchase ground stakes separately. They are reusable and you can move them around where needed in your garden.
Here are some options we selected:
- GROWNEER – Set of 100 6-inch garden staples
- BzBirds USA Made 6 inch 11 Gauge Garden Landscape Staples Galvanized – pack of 20
- Vodaland Rebar Stakes J Hook Extra Heavy Duty 1/4 inch Rust Proof Coated Steel Ground Anchors with Chisel Point End – pack of 10
- AAGUT 12 Inch Garden Stakes – pack of 50
Tip 2 – When possible, winterize your soaker hoses and store them away during the cold season
We talked about the importance of winterizing garden hoses to increase their lifespan and making sure you can use them for many seasons. These recommendations also apply to most soaker hoses.
Read more about winterizing your garden hoses here:
